'You let them know they are taking on the US army and you crush them'

The Daily Telegraph ^ | March 18, 2003 | Oliver Poole

[Ann Archy]

What;s with the IRENE thingy?? I saw you mentioned it last night a few times. What gives?

[TADSLOS]

You might want to see this.

[Genesis defender]

I am sure that he is already being "processed towards the rear".

Just like the pizza I had for dinner last night.

My fellow FReeper, that is the funniest damn thing I have read in a loooong time. Almost choked on supper 'cause I was laughing so hard.

If I were wearing a hat, it would be off to you.

FReep on.

[fr_freak]

"This is Bush's war and I am not alone in thinking that."

This little stupid Shiite is a Private for a reason. Probably from California. I have a feeling that he's going to be in for a little KP duty when his superiors see this one. If I were fighting in his unit I wouldn't trust this guy for anything.

Take it easy, tough guy. I was a private from California during the first Gulf War, so don't go making silly statements. In fact, given that California has roughly 35 million people and just under half of them are fairly conservative, I'd say there are more loyal, salt-of-the-earth Americans in Cali than most of the other 49. It's just that we're outnumbered here by the hippie trash that congregates along the coastline, as I believe one of my fellow Californians already explained to you. In fact, I believe that the battle for the soul of California will one of the greatest in this overall war for the soul of America, and Western Civilization in general, so cut us some slack.

Having said that, I will say that this pvt sounds like an idiot, but I will remind you that he is still there and we are here, safe in our homes. As long as this misguided freak does his job, and that means killing as many of the enemy as he can and watching his fellow soldiers' backs, he is entitled to his opinion and he deserves respect for serving his country. He will get slapped around for this opinion when his fellow soldiers find out about it (if this guy really exists), but that will be long after the Iraq thing is done.

[Jonathon Spectre]

Make those cinders dance.

We live in interesting times.

[John123]

Apology accepted. :)

[ffusco]

The call sign for the start of the battle in Black Hawk Down. Must See.

[Blue Scourge]

"You go in there with both barrels and you let them have it. You let them know that they are taking on the US army and you crush them."

Man, this motivates me...thanks for posting it Ivan, any idea oh now the British troops are getting motivated, I imagine they are as ready as we are.

oh, and that little private...if I read the article right is in the same division that my buddy Daniel is in. He's a Sgt and a cav. scout, so keep him in prayer. I get the feeling that the private in question will not be seeing combat, probably much to his joy.

[Mr. Lucky]

I would bet heavily that Pvt. Stewart ISN'T in the United Sates Army, but lives only in the imagination of the Telegraph reporter.

[Thunder 6]

Not a "career enhancing move", eh?

[gcruse]

For grins I did a web search on Gareth Stewart. This turns out to be an entirely British name. I think you hit it. The reporter went to make up a name, and used his own little data base to pick from. Unfortunately, it was filled with UK names.

[gcruse]

See #53. Whaddya think?

[gcruse]

Ack, 53=51.

[strela]

Anybody have "St. Crispin's Day" handy?

This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

[philetus]

I would not want Pte Gareth Stewart watching my back.

[philetus]

"Pte Gareth Stewart, whom it must suck being, does not get it."

I can only hope, before it's done, he does get it.

[Snidely Whiplash]

Anybody have "St. Crispin's Day" handy?

Ask, brother, and ye shall receive. The greatest war speech ever, courtesy of Wm. Shakespeare.

For those who don't know, St. Crispian is the patron saint of shoemakers, and his feast day is 25 October. The speech is set at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, where an exhausted, bedraggled, sick force of 5-6,000 Englishmen faced a French army that outnumbered them five to one. It was a fairly desperate situation. I've posted the entire exchange, since it's well worth reading.

Henry V, Act Four, Scene Three

[Enter King Henry.]

Westmoreland:

O! that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

King Henry:

What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? - No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O! do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say - 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap, whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

[desertcry]

Pte. stewart will surely get it in the back for running away in the face of the enemy. Cowards always die this way.

[LibKill]

I suspect the Iraqis will be terrified into immediate surrender.

I expect they will surrender as fast as they can.

For their sake, I hope so. I don't really have a gripe with the poor, pissant Iraqi private who was conscripted at gunpoint.

The Iraqi leadership is the focus of evil in Iraq. I hope that we kill every last one of them.

[LouD]

You let them know that they are taking on the US Army and you crush them.

Rooo-hah!